About Us

Traveling through History since 2003

Kathy discussing Bat Masterson on American Heroes Channel (AHC) in August of 2015

Like so many other small businesses, Legends of America started out as a hobby. Owner-Editor, Kathy Weiser-Alexander has a deep-seated love for history, travel, writing, and almost anything falling within a creative realm. With this in mind, she started a small personal webpage called High Country Legends in 2002. Quickly, the ideas and opportunities expanded and soon, a small business she started in 1998 called the Rocky Mountain General Store was merged with the new website. This business, which was also more of a hobby, was the sales outlet for her creative endeavors.

Kathy’s qualifications include a degree in Business Administration; years of drawing, painting, and other artsy-craftsy stuff; and, when creativity didn’t pay the bills — more than 20 years of hands-on corporate experience, encompassing business and people management, customer service, technology, and consulting.

In 2003 Kathy met David Alexander in Kansas City, though both are native Texans. That same year the hobby website evolved into Legends of America and it was the start of a new career. From the beginning, Dave contributed advice, his technical knowledge, and became a primary travel partner. Dave was involved in the radio broadcasting industry from his mid-teens. In 1999, Dave left the airwaves to join a company that designed, managed, and supported software for radio stations, which was eventually purchased by Google in 2006. His division was sold off in the fall of 2009, at which time, he joined Legends of America full time.

Though we started Legends in the Kansas City area — Dave — in Prairie Village, Kansas, and Kathy in Lenexa, Kansas, the business officially moved to Warsaw, Missouri in May, 2010. Warsaw, which sits on the dam splitting Truman Lake and the Lake of the Ozarks, is a small town with about 2,000 full-time folks. That number; however, doubles as people flock to enjoy the lakes in the summer.

Our travel companions, Miss Kaydee and Mr. Riley.

Now, Kathy is in charge of the writing, photography, and website design, while Dave handles all technical aspects, shipping, marketing, & sales. What was once the Rocky Mountain General Store has become Legends General Store and an additional sales outlet was also incorporated — Legends Photo Shop which features not only the many photos taking during Legends’ travels, but also a large volume of restored vintage images.

Legends of America is a small Midwest company with strong moral and ethical business values. We take pride in our work and strive to provide our readers, advertisers, and customers with a continually updated site, great products, and superior customer service. If you ever have any questions or comments, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Contact:

Before you call, please be aware that we are an online magazine, with articles on various destinations and topics. We do not own, operate, nor have any further information on our destinations, history, or association beyond what you see on our pages.

Legends of America28926 Cedar Hill LoopWarsaw, Missouri 65355Email
Phone: 660-723-2550
Orders accepted by phone typically 9a-5p Central Time except on weekends and holidays, but Dave obsesses over email so feel free to drop us a line.

42 thoughts on “About Us”

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From your story on Wild Bill Longley…
“William Preston Longley went by several names during his 27 years as one of the most vicious murderers of the American West. Aliases included Wild Bill, Rattling Bill, Tom Jones, Jim Paeeson, Jim Webb, Bill Black, Bill Henry, and Bill Jackson.”
The one listed: Jim Paeeson should be Jim Patterson. Bill’s grandmother was Priscilla Patterson, who married Joseph Longley. This is where Bill took his alias.

In another part of your story….
February 1876 found Longley sharecropping for the Reverend William R. Lay in Delta County, Texas. A dispute with a local man over a girl led to Longley’s arrest; however, the jail couldn’t hold Longley. Soon, he started a fire and burning himself out, he escaped. For unknown reasons he was angry with the Reverend Lay and on June 13, 1876, he shot and killed him while he was milking a cow.

To answer this question: “For unknown reasons…”. Rev Wm Rowland Lay had a nephew who was interested in a local girl, Rachel Jacks. Wild Bill also liked Rachel. Reverend Lay decided to run Bill off in order for the nephew to court Rachel. Rev Lay would leave notes nailed to trees, threatening Bill and Wild Bill was not one to be pushed around. Bill got tired of the idle threats & killed him.

When they took Bill to the gallows, the Captain of the Guard was Zina Peter Eagleston (pronounced Eggleston).
Capt Eagleston married Rebecca Litle (later spelling Lytle). Becky Litle was the sister of Harvey Newton Litle, my Great^2nd Grandfather.

PBS did a documentary with Alan Alda in 2001 concerning the exhumation of Bill’s remains found in the Giddings City Cemetery.

At the end of your description of Fort Hartsuff in Nebraska you say that it is on an unimproved road. It is in fact an improved road all of the way to the parking lot. Otherwise a very good account of the place.